Presbyopia is the gradual loss of near vision, which often accompanies the aging process. The eyes of a person suffering from presbyopia have a diminished ability to focus on near objects such as books, magazines, or a computer screen. Symptoms of presbyopia can include difficulty reading fine print and blurred vision when transitioning the focus of the eye between near and distant objects.
There are several common treatments for presbyopia. A dedicated pair of reading glasses is one such treatment. Reading glasses provide magnification of near objects to provide for improved vision. However, if a person also needs glasses to focus on distant objects switching between reading glasses and distance glasses can be inconvenient. Another treatment is bifocal glasses, which provide a portion of the glasses lens for assisting with distance vision and a portion for assisting with near vision. While bifocals provide a single pair of glasses for both near and distance vision correction, they can cause disorientation. Contact lenses for the surface of the eye have also been developed which provide vision correction for both near and distance vision. Although these treatments provide vision correction for a person suffering from presbyopia, each requires at least one an additional accessory or pair of contact lenses that must be worn or used daily. Additionally, very small lenses for insertion into the eye are being developed. However, these lenses cannot be handled manually or with conventional tools.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an apparatus and method for inserting a lens into the cornea to improve a patient's presbyopia.